In this final episode in our Advent “Make Room” Series, we are focusing on the greatest virtue of all: LOVE. Jamie Finn, author, advocate, and speaker joins us to discuss her ever evolving definition of love. We explore the sacrificial nature of love, the complexity of love, and what it mean to first receive love from God so we are enabled to truly love others, even when it’s hard. The conversation culminates in a reminder of the essence of Christmas: God’s sacrificial love for humanity. This is...
Dec 24, 2024•35 min
As we consider joy during Advent we ask why don't we experience it more here on earth. Our guest this week, Paul Robie, says Christians should be the most joyful people on the planet. We have the Good News to direct our steps and our spirits. This wrestling with joy is likely why joy is an Advent theme since the beginning of Advent themes. We can collectively consider what it means to hold joy in our lives. We can also encourage each other in the practical ways we can cultivate it. Paul is a lif...
Dec 17, 2024•40 min
December is starting to move quickly, who could use some peace right about now? We are in an Advent series and today we are making room for PEACE. Joining us is pastor, seminary professor, and coach Jim Singleton. In this insightful and compelling interview, Jim helps us explore the concept of peace in a chaotic world, focusing on the need for both external and internal peace. We dive into the historical context of peace, the impact of digital distractions, and the importance of spiritual practi...
Dec 10, 2024•39 min
Advent is the season anticipating Christmas. This first week of Advent we kick off a four-week series covering the timeless themes of hope, peace, joy, and love. We start this week with hope. Hope is the anticipation that good can happen. And when we know God is good, we can believe he can make good happen. Hope is also believing Christ will return. This is why we focus in on hope during Advent. Whether you light an Advent candle on a wreath, read a special devotion, or simply consider the mirac...
Dec 03, 2024•34 min
Let's get ahead of the holiday season this year rather than feeling stressed all the way through it. We want to enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas as much as the people around us! In this episode, we share five practical and helpful tips for navigating the Christmas season with joy and intention. We dive into the importance of embracing the true meaning of Christmas while managing the chaos that often accompanies the holidays. Join us as we discuss setting boundaries, effective communication, meal...
Nov 26, 2024•30 min
Marriage in midlife is no joke! We have often spent exhausting years caring for kids and have given each other the left over time and attention. We also are being introduced to new stressors and need to figure out how to navigate this together. It's hard. It's also worth the work. We invited Dave and Ann Wilson back to the podcast to talk specifically about cultivating love during this changing and often challenging time. Thank goodness we aren't alone in this journey. Dave and Ann are honest ab...
Nov 19, 2024•43 min
We're headed into the cozy season of the year and there is nothing better than soup on the stove when the weather turns chilly. It's also a time when we get out the soft blankets and curl up on the sofa to take a breath, read a book, or sit by the fire. In today's episode we are talking all about SOUP and SABBATH - nourishing our bodies and our souls with author and speaker Kathi Lipp. We talk about the importance of meal planning (and the best free meal planning tool there is), the significance...
Nov 12, 2024•44 min
Grief is something we don't choose. It arrives and we have to decide how we are going to deal with it. In midlife we can be faced with new types of grief. We want to live with it and move through it with health. The question is how? Our guest, Mattie Jackson understands deep grief. The loss of her husband in an accident less than one year after they were married took her to her deepest pain. She talks us through her own healing and how her friends supported her. The wisdom she shares is valuable...
Nov 05, 2024•42 min
The mother-daughter relationship can be one of the richest and most rewarding bonds we get to experience here on earth. It can also be one of the most complicated, especially in the teen and young adult years. Today we are thrilled to have Sandra Stanley and Allie Stanley Cooney, authors of Meet Me in the Middle , discussing the importance of foundations in the mother-daughter relationship. They emphasize the need to root our identity in faith and how it affects every aspect of life. We also dis...
Oct 29, 2024•45 min
The final episode in our ELECTION READY series, today Krista Gilbert is interviewing Alexandra Kuykendall about how we love our neighbor in the midst of an election season. Seeking out goodness when life is great is easy, but when we have political disagreements or challenges that come our way, this is when it becomes really hard. In today's episode, Alex explores how to maintain a positive outlook, the role of prayer, and the significance of self-awareness and emotional regulation. She also emp...
Oct 22, 2024•39 min
Continuing our “Election Ready” series, we are talking today about the importance of bridge building and having conversations around faith and politics - especially during an election year. If this idea seems impossible to you, it’s even more important to listen in on our discussion. Joining us is Lindsey Medenwaldt. Lindsey is the Director of Operations at Mama Bear Apologetics, holds a masters in apologetics from Denver Seminary, a JD from St. Mary’s School of Law, and another master’s degree ...
Oct 15, 2024•39 min
Have you noticed? There is an election coming up. For this reason we are going to be talking about how to get through the election season with intention and grace the next few weeks. We are kicking off this little mini series with the best of the best: Kaitlyn Scheiss. She has her MDiv from Dallas Theological Seminary, is now getting her doctorate from Duke Divinity School and has written two books on how to engage with political life as a Christian. This is not a conversation about who to vote ...
Oct 08, 2024•46 min
If you’ve ever been on the other side of divorce, or if someone close to you is navigating divorce, you know the ‘life quake’ that follows. In today’s episode, we are diving into enabling behaviors, financial fears, loneliness, and the ripple effect divorce has on relationships. Joining us for this conversation is writer and speaker, Tracie Miles, who founded the Living Unbroken Divorce Recovery Program . Tracie shares her personal journey through divorce and how she overcame shame, shifted her ...
Oct 01, 2024•39 min
Jesus is the bread of life. But what about the bread at our table? Is there any connection? Kendall Vanderslice, baker and theologian, sees a direct connection between the making and consuming of bread with the good news that God is present and working. A conversation like no other - Kendall walks us through the value of eating together, the bread making process, and how we can love our neighbors through simple acts like offering some homemade bread. You may be surprised how much this conversati...
Sep 24, 2024•38 min
We all hit life seasons or situations that strip us of an identity or reality we once had, and we find ourselves asking, “Who am I if ________________?” Fill in the blank. Who am I if I don’t look the way I used to? Who am I if my kids are leaving home? Who am I if I have limitations? Who am I if my relationship failed? In this episode we talk about these questions and much more. Leading with scripture, we turn to God to discover what He has to say about each of the “What if” statements. We also...
Sep 17, 2024•46 min
Sometimes a story comes to us that we know will offer our podcast listeners an important perspective on the world - that will help us all rise - to meet life's challenges. Ben's story of mental health struggles and sexual abuse is one of those. We invited him on to share so we as parents of young adults can gain insights, empathy, and better understand what it is to live through these specific challenges as a young person today. Ben Locke graduated early from high school to start his college soc...
Sep 10, 2024•36 min
Do you have a college student who could use a care package from home right about now? In this Back to School series we are talking about practical ways to support our teens and young adults, and care packages are a fantastic way to do that. Krisi Monsiviaz is joining us to talk about why college care packages matter, what to put in them, and what the favorite item is every time (according to her kids). Krista Gilbert shares her approach to putting together these boxes of love from home and some ...
Sep 03, 2024•26 min
We are in a back to school series for moms in midlife. Gone are the days of crayons and kid-sized scissors, and on are the days of cheering for our high schoolers and their friends with creativity and intentionality. There is no better mom to lead us in this conversation than Krisi Monsiviaz. Her creative flare combined with her organized execution gives her ideas that can be scaled up to serve an entire team, plus families, and friends. Perhaps you are planning to be Team Mom and carry an offic...
Aug 27, 2024•36 min
High school senior year is a special time for teens and for their parents. For many moms, the beginning of senior year means the beginning of the lasts. There is some grief there. How do we balance the end of one phase of a young person's life with the celebration of this transition? Both Krista and Alex just finished a senior year and they invited their friend Courtney DeFeo to talk about her experience facing her first senior year as a mom. This episode touches on topics like college deadlines...
Aug 20, 2024•55 min
Do you have a milestone birthday coming up? Or does your child? Milestone birthdays are an opportunity to celebrate and mark significant moments and we want to make the most of them. Sometimes these special occasions spark joy and excitement, other times they signal grief or loss. In this episode we talk about learning to embrace both ends of the spectrum. We also discuss why it's important to pause and make space for celebrating well in the midst of busy and full lives. But you know us, we also...
Aug 13, 2024•39 min
Do you find yourself wishing you had deeper friendships? Or maybe you long for those deeper ties with your own children. In this episode we're talking specifically about relationships in this middle season of life. Our guest, Billie Jauss, podcast host, writer, and wife of a Major League Baseball coach, guides us through four different kinds of relationships. She uses this framework to help us adjust our expectations of those in our circles. We talk about painful experiences, human connection, U...
Aug 06, 2024•51 min
Alex and Krista bring the Fun & Fire format back for a little summer inspiration. Though summer feels like it is starting to wind down. What?! Already?! They are not ignoring those things they still want to happen. From the whimsical to the practical, hear what summer items are still on their to-do lists! And what's getting them fired up? Prices these days! Are you feeling the pinch of the pocketbook? We feel your pain and we give you some of the ways we're making our dollars stretch right n...
Jul 30, 2024•38 min
If you've ever wondered, 'Help! What is my young adult going to do with the rest of their life?' then you're in the right place. Or maybe you ARE the young adult asking, "How do I figure out what to choose for a career when I can't even decide what to have for breakfast!?" Rest easy, today we are diving into the exciting and sometimes overwhelming journey of helping you or your young adult discover their future path. Our guest is Tyler Lafferty, author and co-founder of Seven2, 14Four and Strate...
Jul 23, 2024•45 min
If you've ever wondered, 'Help! What is my young adult going to do with the rest of their life?' then you're in the right place. Or maybe you ARE the young adult asking, "How do I figure out what to choose for a career when I can't even decide what to have for breakfast!?" Rest easy, today we are diving into the exciting and sometimes overwhelming journey of helping you or your young adult discover their future path. Our guest is Tyler Lafferty, author and co-founder of Seven2, 14Four and Strate...
Jul 16, 2024•41 min
What does the Gospel, the big message of who God is in the world, have to do with the here and now? Everything. Midlife is a time of transition, often unexpected change, and trusting that God is with us every turn and upheaval is a gift that stabilizes us in a season that can feel anything but stable. Courtney Doctor is the perfect person to be with us in this conversation. Through her work as the Director of Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition, Courtney speaks with women of all life sta...
Jul 09, 2024•35 min
Why does abandonment cut so deep? Our guest, Dieula Previlon, reminds us that we are hardwired for relationships and when that need is threatened, we feel pain. Abandonment can be the threat or the actual experience of being left, excluded, rejected, unseen, or uncared for. We can carry this wound from childhood or we can be experiencing it now in midlife. Whether through a divorce, a friendship loss, or even a child growing up and leaving, abandonment can leave wounds that need tending. Dieula ...
Jun 04, 2024•35 min
Summer is already fun, but here's a few ideas to add to your list! The more intentional we can be about planning ahead, the more likely it will be that room will be made for those moments that make summer special. In this episode we talk about outdoor summer concerts, pool time, picnic chicken, fresh flowers, charcuterie boards, frozen treats, some favorite makeup finds, and more. Join us and let's get in the mood for S-U-M-M-A-H! Takeaways Don't forget about free concerts in the park as a fun a...
May 28, 2024•22 min
Rick and Diane Thomas, also known as Krista's parents, have so much wisdom we couldn't limit our conversation with them to one episode, so we are bringing you part two. You don't want to miss what these two wise people have to say about creating a legacy - something that will last past their time here on earth. They are an inspiration around living with intention as they share how they maintain fun in their daily experiences, continue to model open communication within their family, and how to e...
May 21, 2024•36 min
Creating a legacy in this world is something that is hard to measure, but easy to identify. Legacy is not something we leave for people, it’s something we leave IN people. The impact is profound, and the ripple effect lives far beyond us. Legacy is something we all want to leave, but how do we do it? Today on the podcast we are diving into this very topic with two of the most qualified people on the subject: Rick and Diane Thomas – otherwise known as Krista’s parents. They live out legacy better...
May 14, 2024•34 min
Conflict...it's something we all come up against and many of us shy away from it as soon as there is any hint of it. We forget that disagreement itself is not bad; as people we are not always going to agree on everything. Then we throw in some misplaced expectations and some big emotions and conflict can suddenly move from a natural part of a relationship to something destructive. We can quickly move into unhealthy patterns and hurtful words, actions, or tones...and this is why we shy away. But ...
May 07, 2024•38 min
